3 Essential Tips to Making Your Kitchen Greener

Kitchens give us the opportunity to eat greener foods, so it’s safe to say that, for many country kitchens in particular, we get the sense...
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Kitchens give us the opportunity to eat greener foods, so it’s safe to say that, for many country kitchens in particular, we get the sense that this unique domestic space contributes substantially to a greener and all-rough healthier environment. However, there’s so much more you can do to make your kitchen green.

If you’re keen to fight environmental issues through the use of your kitchen, it’s time to consider food preparation habits, the materials and equipment you use, non-toxic cleaners and more. These changes towards a greener kitchen space will not only benefit the environment but also keep your finances happy as well.

From preparing healthier meals to efficiently cleaning the fridge, here are some significant steps you can take to making your kitchen more environmentally friendly.

Gas or Electric?

It would seem that it’s a lose-lose situation as far as choosing between gas or electricity is concerned, with natural gas proving to be a fossil fuel and electricity originating from fuel-burning plants, which is particularly common in the US. Gas is actually the preferred choice for skilled chefs who find monitoring the temperature to be much easier. Gas also doesn’t waste much heat once the cooking is done as it can be switched off instantaneously. The efficiency of a gas stove is down to the BTU output, which needs to be as low as possible, so make sure you check this out when shopping for a new gas stove.

Electric stoves are at their most efficient when using induction elements that transfer electromagnetic energy. The cook top stays cool as the pan is heated directly. This subsequently uses a far less amount of energy from standard coil elements. Induction-elements will require the use of metallic pots and pans however, such as cast iron and stainless steel. Electric induction-element cookers are also quite expensive as they are a relatively new bit of tech.

The greenest stove is ultimately the one that will costs you the least and the one you’ll be happy to live with for longest. You will save plenty of money on materials and additional resources should you choose one you’re particularly happy with, although your budget and the lifestyle you lead may also have an effect on what you choose. If you’re looking for something to separate the two, electric stoves are actually healthier than gas stoves as they add a much smaller percentage of harmful gases to the home.

Buy Local Ingredients

However many energy efficient gadgets or stoves you incorporate into your greener kitchen, you’ll never reach your eco-friendly potential without purchasing food and ingredients that are local. You are ultimately trying to reduce the amount of ravelling you have to do to obtain your food, so if you can restrict this to just a few miles, you’re making progress.

If you have shopped at your nearest supermarket since your earliest memories, it might be a good idea to do a little more research on the local area and find out if there are any smaller food outlets around such as farm shops that are just a few miles down the road. I you find yourself snacking on some Chile-based blueberries in the winter, consider the amount of pollution created as a result of carrying these thousands of miles to your kitchen.

In addition, foods that aren’t fresh or have had to go through transit won’t be in the best possible shape upon reaching the kitchen, so you actually get far better quality produce from visiting your local farm shop. Farmers are always looking for ways to fund their livelihoods, so it’s highly recommended that you pursue famers markets or farmers directly for the ingredients you use at your green kitchen.

Don’t Waste Food/Recycle

The kitchen is the one room in the house where waste is generated consistently and this is ultimately down to the excessive amounts of packaging we stock up on from supermarket shelves. It’s not as hard as you might think to cut back on the amount of waste products that accumulate over time from the kitchen however.

The best introductory step to take is to forget about using supermarket shopping bags. Instead, bring your own shopping bags to the supermarket and use these. The produce you buy should be fresh and unwrapped, while any products that are wrapped should be in short supply.

One of the biggest reasons for wasting food is buying necessarily large portion sizes, which are thrown away as a result. Anything you do cook and not eat should be put into a compost heap, as food and other organic waste products such as cardboard are broken down and used for gardens. Local farmers are always looking for compost to help their produce, so if you haven’t got a garden you can always offer your compost to them in exchange for some fresh new produce perhaps.

This article has been supplied by www.pricekitchens.co.uk, a high quality kitchen supplier and installation specialist based in Croydon, Surrey for over 35 years.